The present invention relates to a doll. More particularly, the present invention relates to a doll having an internal religious image.
Dolls, such as baby dolls, having internal images are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,407 to Friedel discloses a doll with an imaging heart. The doll includes a translucent heart-shaped area in the chest portion to allow viewing of the interior of the doll. The interior of the doll includes a silhouette portion of an inner child or soul. A lamp inside the doll is located behind the silhouette portion to create a silhouette of a child. The purpose of the doll in Friedel is to encourage a user thereof to get in touch with that which is referred to in psychiatric literature as the xe2x80x9cinner childxe2x80x9d.
Another example of a doll with an internal image is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,201 to Friedel. This patent discloses a doll with an internal cavity for storing icons and includes features for dissuading a person from practicing a vice. The internal cavity is accessible through a front hatch in the doll. Icons that remind the user of a particular vice may be placed in the internal cavity. Example icons that may be placed inside the doll include a plastic liquor bottle, a plastic pill jar, a cardboard box with plastic candies, a paper bank envelope, a teddy bear, a baby doll, a parent doll, a book of instructions or affirmations, and a replica of the doll. Thus, the purpose of the doll described in Friedel is to provide psychotherapy for a person with substance dependency or other psychological/physiological problems.
A variety of other known dolls have either internal or external image projection systems. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,873 to Yamaguchi et al. a doll toy in the shape of a man holding a gun is disclosed. The doll toy includes an interior light source that projects a desired pattern onto the trunk and head of the doll. The pattern is overlaid on a frame inside the doll. When the light source is activated, the pattern is projected on the inner surface of the head and trunk. The pattern is also projected outside of the doll. As illustrated in FIG. 2 of Yamaguchi et al., the pattern 19 appears to be an electronic circuit board.
Another doll toy capable of projecting patterns outside of the doll is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,072 to Arad et al. According to Arad et al., a doll toy embodying an action character from the popular xe2x80x9cX-Menxe2x80x9d comic series is disclosed. The doll includes an internal projection system that projects images stored on a disk inside the toy onto a surface outside the toy. As illustrated in FIG. 6 of Arad et al., example images that are projected include monsters and aliens.
Yet another doll with an internal projection system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,319 to Smith et al. According to Smith et al., a toy doll includes a self-contained light show. The doll includes a plurality of lights located on the exterior surface of the doll. The lights are activated in a predetermined sequence to give the appearance of a light show.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,281 to Wolf discloses a viewing kit for a model such as a model airplane. The viewing kit includes a lens and an aperture that allows the user to view the inside of the model airplane, such as the cockpit.
Various dolls of religious figures are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,625 to Dumond discloses a doll formed in the likeness of Jesus Christ with movable head and extremities. According to Dumond, the doll of Jesus is provided with electrically conductive nails, which when inserted through the apertures in the hands of the doll mount the doll to a cross and close an electrical circuit, which illuminates a cross.
Another example of a religious doll is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,747 to Liggit. According to the ""747 Patent, a doll is formed in the likeness of Jesus Christ. The doll includes a heart-shaped locket attached to the chest of the doll. Liggett states that a photograph of the intended user can be placed inside the locket to indicate to the user that Jesus loves the user.
While the above-mentioned prior art discloses dolls having internal images of therapeutic value, toy dolls having interior or exterior projection systems, and religious dolls, none of these dolls are designed to impart the feeling to a child that Jesus Christ or God is inside of the child. Thus, there exists a need for a doll with an internal image that communicates to the child that God or Jesus Christ is inside of all children. Such a doll is preferably constructed in a manner that reduces the need for complex internal electrical circuitry for viewing the image.
The present invention includes a doll, such as a baby doll, having an internal religious image. In a preferred embodiment, the internal image comprises a hologram. The hologram is positioned inside the chest portion of the doll. An aperture is located in the body of the doll proximally to the internal image to provide illumination and to allow viewing of the image. The image may be an image of Jesus Christ or other religious figure or symbol.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention of provide a novel doll with an internal religious image.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a novel doll with an, internal religious hologram.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel doll with an internal religious image that is easy to manufacture.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for communicating to children the presence of God or Jesus inside of all children.
Some of the objects of the invention having been stated hereinabove, other objects will be evident as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings as best described hereinbelow.